MICHAEL SALISBURY has been REMOVED as the VAR official for Liverpool vs Arsenal just hours before kick off.
Salisbury, 40, was on VAR duty for Chelsea’s 2-0 victory over Fulham yesterday, during which he controversially sent the referee over to the monitor to disallow Josh King’s opener.
ReutersReferee Robert Jones was sent over to the monitor[/caption]
Rodrigo Muniz was deemed to have fouled Trevoh Chalobah in the build-up to the goal
GettyMichael Salisbury was on VAR duty at Stamford Bridge[/caption]
With the score level at 0-0, teenage striker King found the net for the visitors.
To boss Marco Silva‘s astonishment, however, Salisbury sent referee Robert Jones over to take another look.
It was then deemed that Rodrigo Muniz had committed a “careless challenge” on Trevoh Chalobah in the build-up to the goal – prompting Jones to disallow it.
The whistler told the Stamford Bridge crowd: “After review, Fulham number nine commits a careless challenge, stands on the foot of the Chelsea defender, therefore we disallow the goal and we restart with a Chelsea free kick. There would be no further action.”
Chris Kavanagh is set to referee Liverpool vs Arsenal this afternoon, assisted by Simon Bennett and Dan Robathan with Rubeyn Ricardo.
Salisbury had been due to be the VAR, but has been replaced by John Brooks.
Sian Massey-Ellis will assist Brooks at Stockley Park.
According to ESPN’s officiating expert Dale Johnson, the PGMOL have acknowledged Salisbury’s error in yesterday’s Chelsea vs Fulham match.
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AlamyAndy Madley replaced Salisbury on VAR duty for the Arsenal-Liverpool match[/caption]
Former Chelsea ace Joe Cole, who was on the commentary team for TNT Sports, claimed that giving fouls for moments like that is “sanitising football”.
While ex-Manchester United and England star Rio Ferdinand wrote on X: “VAR killing this young man’s moment…”.
Silva fumed after the match: “Unbelievable the goal was disallowed.”
And after Chelsea were awarded a second-half penalty for a handball by Ryan Sessegnon, the Portuguese boss simply laughed on the touchline.
He added after the contest: “Yes it’s handball from Sess, but before that moment you can find easy two or three fouls for ourselves.
“Our players went with the referee to the screen and they were laughing.
“A stamp on Alex Iwobi, handball from Joao Pedro and the pushing on Joachim [Andersen].
“It’s the same VAR that in the first half found something unbelievable like a stamp from Rodrigo.
“The same people didn’t see a stamp on Iwobi. I don’t understand the direction that it’s going.”
AlamyMarco Silva could not believe what he was witnessing at Stamford Bridge[/caption] Creator – [#item_custom_dc:creator]
